Curtis Amy

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Curtis Amy

| image =

| birth_name = Curtis Edward Amy

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|10|11}}

| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|06|05|1927|10|11}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| genre = Jazz

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Saxophone

| years_active = 1950s–1970s

| label = Pacific Jazz, Verve

}}

Curtis Edward Amy (October 11, 1927 – June 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist.{{Cite book|last=Cook|first=Richard|year=2005|title=Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/richardcooksjazz00cook|url-access=registration|publisher=Penguin Books |location=London |isbn=0-141-00646-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/richardcooksjazz00cook/page/13 13]}}

Biography

Amy was born in Houston, Texas, United States.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=80}} He learned how to play clarinet before joining the Army, and during his time in service, picked up the tenor saxophone. After his discharge, he attended and graduated from Kentucky State College. He worked as an educator in Tennessee while playing in midwestern jazz clubs. In the mid-1950s, he relocated to Los Angeles and later signed with Pacific Jazz Records, often playing with organist Paul Bryant. In the mid-1960s, he spent three years as musical director of Ray Charles' orchestra, together with his wife, Merry Clayton, and Steve Huffsteter.

As well as leading his own bands and recording albums under his own name, Amy did session work and played the solos on several recordings, including The Doors song "Touch Me", Carole King's Tapestry, and Lou Rawls' first albums, Black and Blue and Tobacco Road, coinciding with Dexter Gordon in the Onzy Matthews big band, as well as working with Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell and Smokey Robinson.

Up until his death, he was married to singer and recording artist Merry Clayton.{{Cite web |url=http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=1023954138 |title=Amy |access-date=2009-07-17 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213245/http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=1023954138 |url-status=dead }} Their son, Kevin Amy has also pursued a musical career.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-04|title=Merry Clayton, co-star of Oscar-winning '20 Feet from Stardom,' soars on 'Beautiful Scars' after grisly crash|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2021-04-04/merry-clayton-co-star-of-20-feet-from-stardom-rises-up-with-first-album-since-1994|access-date=2021-09-24|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|language=en-US}}

Carole King's song "Jazzman", from her 1974 album Wrap Around Joy, was inspired by her experience working with Amy on the Tapestry album.